Reach Out – Feeling Suicidal

If someone is experiencing a suicidal crisis, a positive relationship with a mental health worker is of paramount importance. Listening closely to a person’s story and displaying a genuine and caring attitude can make a huge difference in helping them through. A group of clinicians writing about the importance of a positive working alliance have developed guidelines for clinicians in meeting the suicidal person.27

They stress the importance of a narrative style of interviewing which allows the person to explain their suicidal feelings in the context of their life-history. The guidelines suggest that:

the mental health worker’s task is to reach a sharedunderstanding of the person’s suicidal thoughts and behaviour

the mental health worker should be aware that most suicidal people who experience mental pain or anguish can be very vulnerable

the mental health worker’s attitude should be nonjudgementaland supportivef

the interview should start with the consumer’s self-narrative.For example, ‘Tell me, in your own words, about yoursuicidal thoughts and feelings . . .’

the ultimate goal is to engage the person in the therapeutic relationship.

The outcome for many people who are experiencing asuicidal crisis is admission to the in-patient unit of a hospital.

This process can be a traumatising experience, even if voluntary.Research by Samuelsson et al 28 suggests that people can feel a sense of shame and failure mixed with relief when hospitalised for suicidal behaviors. It is important for workers to recognise this and acknowledge the confusing feelings and trauma that a person may experience